Secondhand Spirits: A Witchcraft Mystery, Book 1

Lily Ivory hopes for a normal life when she opens Aunt Cora's Closet. With her magical knack for vintage fashion - she can sense vibrations of the past from clothing and jewelry - her store becomes a big hit. But when a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area, Lily may be the only one who can unravel the crime.

A Toxic Trousseau: Witchcraft Mysteries, Book 8

Even the most skilled sorceress can't ward off a lawsuit, and Lily is not at her enchanting best with her hands full as the temporary leader of San Francisco's magical community. So after her potbellied pig, Oscar, head butts rival clothier Autumn Jennings, Lily tries to make peace without a costly personal injury case.

If Walls Could Talk: Haunted Home Renovation, Book 1

Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But now her reputation may be on the line. At her newest project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, Mel is visited by the ghost of a colleague who recently met a bad end with power tools. Mel hopes that by nailing the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly presence of the murdered man - and not end up a construction casualty herself....

The Witch and the Dead: Wishcraft Mystery Series, Book 7

When Darcy moved to Salem, Massachusetts, she never expected her life to change as drastically as it did. But within a short time, the Enchanted Village has become her home, its mystical residents have become her family, and As You Wish, the personal concierge business formerly run by her Aunt Ve, has become her calling. Still, the time has come for change, and for Darcy to move out of Aunt Ve's house.

Welcome to Nocturne Falls - the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year. Jayne Frost is a lot of things. Winter elf, Jack Frost's daughter, Santa Claus' niece, heir to the Winter Throne, and now...private investigator. Sort of. When she buys a sealed box at an estate sale and cat-related circumstances cause that box to be opened, life in Nocturne Falls starts to go haywire. Jayne has no choice but to figure out what she unleashed and how to recapture it.

It Takes a Witch: A Wishcraft Mystery, Book 1

Darcy Merriweather and her sister, Harper, hail from a long line of witches who have the power to grant wishes using spells. They've come to Enchanted Village in Salem, Massachusetts, to join the family business, but they soon find themselves knee deep in murder.Until three weeks ago, Darcy and Harper were working dead-end jobs and trying to put their troubles behind them.

The Werewolf's Christmas Wish: A Nocturne Falls Short

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.

Spells and Scones: Magical Bakery Mystery Series, Book 6

When the bookshop next to the Honeybee Bakery hosts a signing for a Savannah radio celebrity's new self-help book, magical baker Katie Lightfoot is happy to provide some delectable desserts. The whole spellbook club is going to the event, curious about the book (and maybe to sample some goodies), but the final chapter comes too soon for the author when she is found dead at the event. The prime suspect is Angie Kissel, a former witch whose familiar was once Katie's own terrier, Mungo.

The Vampire's Valentine Surprise: A Nocturne Falls Short

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year. When Delaney Ellingham enters the Nocturne Falls Valentine's Day Bake-Off, she has no idea that an old rival will create such havoc. Her husband, Hugh, and her friends all come to her aid, but even they can't guess the surprise that lies in store.

The Witch's Halloween Hero: A Nocturne Falls Short

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better. When a spell goes wrong on the night of Samhain for witch Corette Williams, her only hope is the man she loves, Bartholomew Stanhill. But time is running out.

Witch Slapped: Witchless in Seattle, Book 1

Hello. My name is Stevie Cartwright, and I've been witchless for 30 days. If only there was a support group for down-on-their-luck ex-witches who've had their powers slapped right out of them (literally). Just as I was licking my wounds after returning to my hometown of Ebenezer Falls, Washington, and navigating my suddenly nonmagical existence with the help of my familiar, Belfry, things got sticky. Enter an ex-spy and newly departed spirit named Winterbottom, who's infiltrated my life with his sexy British accent and a couple of requests....

The Old Witcheroo: Witchless in Seattle Series, Book 4

When last we met, dear friends, a man had come calling, claiming to be Crispin Alistair Winterbottom, my dead British ex-spy. A notion I'd find ludicrous, if the handsome imposter didn't, in fact, look exactly like my dead British ex-spy. But there's no time for that mystery when a quiet walk on our private stretch of beach turns up something far more pressing - another tragedy in my beloved small Washington town. That's right. I, Stevie Cartwright, ex-witch turned amateur sleuth, have stumbled upon another murder. But this time it's closer to home, more personal.

A Potion to Die For: Magic Potion Mystery, Book 1

As the owner of Little Shop of Potions, a magic potion shop specializing in love potions, Carly Bell Hartwell finds her product more in demand than ever. A local soothsayer has predicted that a couple in town will soon divorce, and now it seems that every married person in Hitching Post, Alabama, wants a little extra matrimonial magic to make sure that they stay hitched.

The Paris Key

As a girl, Genevieve Martin spent the happiest summer of her life in Paris, learning the delicate art of locksmithing at her uncle's side. But since then, living back in the States, she has become more private, more subdued. She has been an observer of life rather than an active participant, holding herself back from those around her, including her soon-to-be ex-husband. Paris never really left Genevieve, and, as her marriage crumbles, she finds herself faced with an incredible opportunity.

Quit Your Witchin’: Witchless in Seattle, Book 2

Hello again! It's me, Stevie Cartwright, ex-witch and new Madam Zoltar. I was fresh off the murder-suspect list and just settling into Madam Z's psychic medium shoes - with the help of my bat familiar Belfry and spirit spy Win - when another death rocked sleepy little Ebenezer Falls, Washington state. Tito Bustamante, my beloved purveyor of mouth-watering Mexican munchies, has been found dead in the food truck court. Rumor has it that Tito was stickin' his chimichanga where it didn't belong, and my gut - not to mention his less-than-natural death - says murder.

Brownies and Broomsticks: A Magical Bakery Mystery, Book 1

Katie Lightfoot's tired of loafing around as the assistant manager of an Ohio bakery. So when her aunt Lucy and uncle Ben open a bakery in Savannah's quaint downtown district and ask Katie to join them, she enthusiastically agrees. While working at the Honeybee Bakery - named after Lucy's cat - Katie notices that her aunt is adding mysterious herbs to her recipes. Turns out these herbal enhancements aren't just tasty - Aunt Lucy is a witch and her recipes are actually spells!

Dewitched: Witchless in Seattle Series, Book 3

I, ex-witch Stevie Cartwright, do hereby solemnly swear to avoid future murder-mystery shenanigans, nosiness, tomfoolery, and any further crazy killer-inflicted pain to my person, so help me goddess. Ha! Like I could help myself. But after busting my butt (literally!) on the last murder case in my beloved hometown of Ebenezer Falls, Washington, I could use a nice long break. Until shazam - a dead man invites himself to our fancy housewarming party!

A Grave Prediction

Professional psychics learn to deal with skeptics, but Abby has to prepare herself for one steep uphill battle when she's sent to San Diego to help train FBI officers to use their intuition. Her first challenge: a series of bank robberies in which the thieves made off with loads of cash but left no clues.

Something to Witch About: Wicked Witches of the Midwest, Book 5

Life's a witch...and then you die. It's the dying part vexing Bay Winchester these days. She may be a long-suffering daughter, thankless newspaper editor, and keyed-up girlfriend, but she's barely holding off a royal freak-out. Landon's family is visiting the inn - and they're not exactly open minded. Bay is on a mission to hide her witchy ways, but the discovery of a body - and the poltergeist that accompanies it - at The Overlook tips everything into turmoil.

The Haunted Heist

Just because she can see the dead doesn't mean Verity Long wants to spend her days hunting ghosts. Instead she's over the moon to land a marketing job at the local bank...until she finds her new boss dead in the vault. Even her ghost friend, Frankie, knows that's no way to start a career. Relieved to let the police take charge, Verity steps aside, bound and determined to keep her ghost sightings to herself. But when she learns the main suspect in the murder is a very crooked, very dead mobster, Verity knows it's up to her to solve the case.

Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case: Jayne Frost, Book 1

Jayne Frost is a winter elf, Jack Frost's daughter, Santa Claus's niece, heir to the Winter Throne, and now private investigator. Needing someone he can trust, her father sends her to Nocturne Falls to find out why employees at a toy store are going missing. Doing that requires getting to know the town, which leads to interesting encounters with a sexy vampire, an old flame, and an elevator that's strictly off-limits. The more Jayne finds out, the more questions she has, but the answers lead her deeper into danger.

Magically Delicious: Magic and Mayhem, Book 4

What does a hungry, pregnant witch do when her whole freaking town goes on a no-carb diet? I'll tell you what. She goes on the sly and conjures up some anchovy-chocolate chunk cookies dipped in hot sauce - that's what. Of course my cheating gets complicated when all of the magic in the world goes on the fritz. To solve that particular wrinkle, I'll have to finally find the source of the lurking evil.

Haunted Is Always in Fashion

As the owner of It's Vintage, Y'All in Sugar Creek, Georgia, Cookie Chanel has agreed to share her expertise with author Juliana McDaniel. But on her way to town, Juliana is shot dead, and that was all she wrote. Cookie picks up the thread of the story with help from her psychic cat and a couple of inquisitive ghosts. To unmask this killer, she'll have to lift the lid on family secrets and hidden motives - because she might wind up getting capped herself if she doesn't cloche this case....

The Shifter Romances the Writer: Nocturne Falls, Book 6

For romance writer Roxy St. James, living in Nocturne Falls also means a fresh start. And as soon as her unbearable ex signs the divorce papers, that new beginning will be a reality. Unfortunately, her ex doesn't seem ready to let her go and the subtle threats he's been making leave her no choice but to confide in her oh-so-handsome neighbor, who just happens to be a deputy with the sheriff's department. But Officer Alex Cruz isn't just the law. He's also a panther shifter, a secret he's sworn to keep.

Publisher's Summary

Students are spooked at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts, and Lily is called in to search for possible paranormal activity. In return she's been promised a trunkful of Victorian-era clothes recently discovered in a school storage closet.

But Lily finds something else: the body of a wealthy patron of the school. In between running the store and seeing her new boyfriend, Max - a "mythbuster" who is uncomfortable with her witchcraft - she uses her sleuthing skills to try to solve the murder. Soon Lily senses something from the school's vintage clothes, but it's not the smell of mothballs - it's the unmistakable aura of evil intent.

This is the second book of the Character Lilly Ivory as she grows more comfortable with being a witch and embracing her power. I'd this one as I did the first: funny and light, not violent or obscene. My observation for book two is the same as it is for #1; I wish the writer Juliet Blackwell would allow herself to give more depth to the characters. The French nuns were a major point in the book, but I still didn't really get to know these women and why they chose that path or why/if they had been deceived; the point was glazed over quickly in the story. I still liked the story however.

Would you recommend A Cast-Off Coven to your friends? Why or why not?

One could enjoy the book apart from the series, but I would recommend that you read book one first and the series in order.

Have you listened to any of Xe Sands’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Other than this series, no, but I like how Xe Sands reads for the characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wish I had that type of time, but I certainly wanted to read it all the way though.

If I could give this 3 and a half stars I would. It is a pleasant story with solidly developed characters. The characters are the reason I liked this book. The plot was good and the story flowed nicely. All in all it's a solid paranormal story. I can't give it more than 3 and a half stars because the story lacks suspense. It is worth the credit.

A Cast-Off Coven is the second book in Juliet Blackwell’s WITCHCRAFT MYSTERY series. In the first book, Secondhand Spirits, we met Lily Ivory, a witch who recently moved to San Francisco after being run out of her hometown in Texas (we don’t know why yet). She has an affinity for old clothes — she can feel the previous owner’s past emotions in them — so she opened a vintage clothing store which is becoming successful because she has a talent for pairing her customers with the exactly the right items. In the first novel Lily made new friends, gained Oscar the goblin for a familiar, met a hot investigative journalist named Max, and solved a murder.

Now Lily has been asked to come to the local Fine Arts school because the students think there may be a ghost living in a closet full of vintage clothing. In return for Lily’s ghostbusting services, they’ll give her the clothes. But on Lily’s first visit to the school, someone is murdered. This looks suspicious because Lily has only been in town for a few months and it’s the second murder she’s been associated with. As Lily tries to solve the crime, she manages to stir up something evil and she’s the only one who can prevent more mayhem in San Francisco.

So far the WITCHCRAFT MYSTERY series has been quite a fun read. San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district makes a great setting for a vintage clothing store and it’s clear that Juliet Blackwell knows the area. Lily and her friends are sweet (not snarky and sarcastic), Oscar the scared goblin is adorable (he masquerades as a pot-bellied pig when Lily’s in public), and Max is an appealing love interest. In this installment we get to know each of them a little better. The romance takes a backseat to the plot and love scenes happen off camera. There is little humor, the language is clean, and the murders are not gruesome. These books are definitely cozy mysteries — not paranormal romance or urban fantasy — but the supernatural elements are strong.

I’ve got a few minor quibbles that I’ve noticed but which haven’t affected my enjoyment of this series too much (yet). One is that nearly every guy Lily meets (the reporter, the police detective, the male witch, the new fine arts professor) is hot, which seems unlikely (or maybe I just need to visit to San Francisco). Another issue, which is a common one for cozy mysteries, is that the puzzle pieces fall too neatly together. Lily tends to be in just the right place to get just the right clue, even if she doesn’t yet realize it’s a clue. (Lily can occasionally be a little dense when it comes to clues and there were a couple of times that I wanted to smack her to let her know she was looking at one). I was willing to overlook these small problems and hope they don’t become bigger ones later in the series.

I listened to Tantor Audio’s version of A Cast-Off Coven which was read by Xe Sands. I thought she did a great job. Her slight Southern accent for Lily was perfect and, believe me, Southern accents can be painfully annoying if the narrator isn’t careful. Xe Sands also managed to make the men sound like men — another important feature for this type of story. I’m planning to pick up the next audiobook, Hexes and Hemlines. I’m hoping to see it go on sale at Audible soon but, if it doesn’t, I’m willing to spend one of my credits for it.

First Thought when Finished: A Cast-Off Coven was a wonderful listen with a pretty darn good who-dun-it!

Overall Thoughts: Lily is a unique leading character. I don't always like her but I always love her gumption. She grew a LOT in A Cast-Off Coven and learned a little bit more about herself in the process. I am hoping part of the process means shucking off her current love interest but that remains to be seen. I LOVED the mystery in A Cast-Off Coven. The school was the perfect setting for this one because it involved Lily's two shop gals (my favorite characters) more! My favorite parts in the first two books all involved the side characters and I hope they play a bigger role in the future books! There was a little bit of everything involved in this case: fun, twists, turns, and a bit of old-fashioned sleuthing. I love that Lily's witch powers are just part of how she figures things out! She really does have a great head on her shoulders.

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Xe Sands / Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Xe rocks the narration for this series. She plays Lily in a way that totally makes her personality shine. She has really good male voices and her pacing is outstanding. I totally recommend these on audio!

Final Thoughts: I already got the rest of the series on audio and now I need to squeeze them in!

A Cast-Off Coven is the second book in the Witchcraft Mysteries, and sees Lily back in the middle of a murder. Lily owns Aunt Cora's closet, and gets a call to look at some vintage clothes found in a closet at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts. What Lily finds is more than just vintage clothes: a murder of a wealthy man and a demon!

I listened to the first book in this series (Secondhand Spirits) in audio version and I really enjoyed the narration from Xe Sands (particularly of Oscar, the familiar) so I decided to listen to the second book on audio as well.

I liked that this book followed closely after the first, and told more of Max's back story. So the reader finds out what he has against magic, and also more of Aiden's story as well.

The mystery kept me on toes, constantly trying to guess who the murderer was. I loved the backdrop of the San Francisco School of Fine Arts with its bell tower ghost, as it set a very creepy scene, which suited the book perfectly. Of course the stand out character was the familiar, Oscar, who is a goblin that changes himself into a pot belly pig. Oh Oscar, you are wonderful!!

I'm really glad that there is lots more books in this series to enjoy, and I definitely will check out the audio versions, because I love Xe Sands narration.

The author is beginning to flesh out the characters in the second book and I am thoroughly enjoying the read. This is paranormal with a twist and an honest look at Witchcraft today with a little more magic thrown in for good measure (as well as a little romance starting up). The characters have become much more endearing and I find I can't wait to get the next installment of this series.

The narrator really grows on you and I was pleased to see that she continues with the entire series so far. She does the voices just right for the story and makes the read much more enjoyable.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I love listening to this book while I worked on some projects. Its a lite listen, but has enough detail and intrigue to hold your attention from start to finish.

If you’ve listened to books by Juliet Blackwell before, how does this one compare?

This is only my 2nd Blackwell book, and compared to the first it was good. I think there will always be an extra special place in my heart for her first book in this series because it was the perfect listen for me at the time, but I really really enjoy this series because its so easy to become attached to each character.

Which character – as performed by Xe Sands – was your favorite?

I really dont have a favorite. I love her performance of them all.

Could you see A Cast-Off Coven being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I could see it being made into a TV series, definately! As for the stars -??

Any additional comments?

Xe Sands has the most perfect voice for Lily. Her soft honey Texan twang is so soothing and comforting, you forget you're listening as your pulled into the scene. It feels like you're really there with them.